How to negotiate your starting salary

Sharon Florentine |
May 19, 2014

You got the job offer. While you cleared the biggest hurdle, you're not finished yet. Now it's time to negotiate your compensation package. These tips will help you get the best deal while keeping the process a positive one.

Finally, remember to smile, Gillis says. While negotiations can seem confrontational, the goal is to come to a common, mutually beneficial understanding, he says.

"The employer's job is to get the best talent for the least amount of money. Your job is exactly the opposite," Gillis says. "When it comes down to it, you're both people, and the goal is to reach a common ground. The company's made you an offer already, so they want you to work for them, and they're hopeful you'll want to work for them, too. You just have to make it a win for both sides," he says.